Improvement in axle thimble-skeins



C. SLONAKER.

AXLE THIMBLE SKEINS. N0.176,490. Patented Apr125,1876.

fn veno'r:

N. PETERS. PMOTD-UTMOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER SLONAKER, OF GOLD STREAM, WEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN AXLE THIMBLE-SKEINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 176,490, dated April 25,1876; application led March 7, 1876.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER SLoN- AKER, of Gold Stream, in the county of Hampshire and State of West Virginia, haveV invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thimble-Skeins for Wagons; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part oi' this speeication.

Figure 1 is a side View. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a top view, showing the tapered piece welded at the small end. Fig. 5 shows the plate of which the skein is made.

My invention consists of a thimble-skein formed of a plate the sides of which are parallel the length o the skein, and of a tapered piece in the space between the edges of the plate, and of a hurter-band provided with a steel bearing for the end of the box, to lessen the friction, as hereinafter fully described.

A represents the body of the skein, formed of a plate, the sides of which are parallel the length ofthe skein, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. D represents a tapered piece fitted in the tapering space between the edges of the plate, which piece D is cut from the side of the end B, extending under the axle G, to hold the skein in place. The hurterband b is provided with a steel bearing, c, for

the end of the box in the hub, to lessen the' friction; and the end ot' the axle, extending to the top of the band, forms a support to it, to prevent it from being pressed out of place by the force of the box against the bearing c.

Thimble-skeins have heretofore been made of tapered plates, and in cutting out those plates, pieces of the slabs are necessarily left to be thrown aside as scraps. My skein, being made, as described, of slabs the proper width to form the small end of the skein, requires no side cutting, and leaves no waste scraps; and the cutting required to taper the end B outs the tapered pieces D, which, instead of being thrown aside as scraps, are utilized in making the skeins; and when the boxes become worn, requiring the skeins to be eularged, it is necessary to remove those skeins made of tapered plates from the axles, to allow packing to be placed between them and the axles, while, with my skein, the hurterband only is removed, and proper packing placed under the piece D. Thus it is readily seen that my skein is made with less waste of material and with less labor than those made of tapered plates, and they are more readily enlarged to tit the boxes when Worn.4

The tapered pieces D may be welded at the small end, as shown in Fig. 4, or set in land fastened with a nail, as shown in Fig. 2. In either case suticient space is left forthe linchpin beyond the end ot' the piece D, as shown in the drawings; and either a burr or a linchpiu may be used. with my skein.

What I claim. as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A thimble-skein, A, having a tapered piece, D, constructed substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. A hurter-band, b, provided with a steel bearing, c, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I affix my signature in presence of' two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER SLONAKER.

-Witnessesz WESLEY SLONAKER, A. C. SLONAKER. 

